It's Like Poison Ivy
by Writer117
Summary: Trouble with the indigenous plantlife on the mainland.


Not mine just taking them out to play.

No betas, they had something **_better_**(!) to do.

Respectful feedback welcome.

* * *

"Doc, look at me." Major John Sheppard put his hands on the doctor's shoulders.

Dr Carson Beckett looked up at him, putting the stethoscope tips in his ears.

"I burned my hand. That's it. Burned my hand. See?" He raised his reddened right hand to wave in Carson's face.

Carson pursed his lips, rolling his eyes in mock frustration. "Major, even a small wound can cause massive infection. You know that."

"But I burned my hand. It has nothing to do with my breathing."

He yelped as the cold stethoscope Beckett had snaked under his shirt touched his back.

"Breath in," Carson instructed. "Breathe out." He moved it around, listening again. "Been short of breath lately?"

Major Sheppard frowned, uncertain as to where this line of questioning was going. "Only when I practicing with Teyla...or running from the Wraith...or..." He was interrupted by Carson's upraised hand.

"How about right now?"

Major Sheppard pursed his lips, shaking his head.

Dr Beckett abruptly yanked his shirt up around his neck. "What is this, Major?"

John swallowed his protest of the sudden deshirting, turning to look over his shoulder trying to see his own back. "Oh, just a little rash." He shrugged, turning to face front. "Showed up a little bit ago." Frowned, thinking. "Just after I got back from the mainland."

Carson listened while prodding the red rash. "Who else have you been in contact with?"

"Uhmm, Rodney, Ford, Teyla, they were with me, uh, a few people on the mainland...I think that's about it. Why?"

"Well, you seem to have the Atlantean version of poison ivy, major. You need to stay here until it runs its course. I need to get in contact with everyone you may have touched..." Carson's voice trailed off as he walked to the other side of the infirmary. He looked back up at Major Sheppard who was still sitting on the bed, waiting for the punch line. "Make yerself comfortable."

Major Sheppard threw his hands in the air with a huff of frustration.

After the major showered and changed into scrubs, Beckett treated and wrapped his reddened hand in gauze. The next half an hour was spent rounding up all the potentially contaminated people. Over the course of the next three hours, everyone was scrubbed down and examined, Rodney complaining the loudest.

Major Sheppard watched from his quarantined side of the infirmary, almost hoping that someone else would be joining him.

When the last Athosian was released and the room was empty, Dr Beckett crossed to him with a pleased look on his face. "Well, it looks like the Athosians have a natural immunity to whatever caused this. Everyone human you came in contact with had varying degrees of the rash..."

Major Sheppard threw his legs off the bed, sitting up to meet Carson's eyes. "But you let them all go."

"Aye," he nodded as if his reasoning was common knowledge.

Sheppard looked flabbergasted. "Then why do I have to stay?"

"Because you have rauls in your lower left lung," he pointed out rocking on his toes.

John stared at him open mouthed as he walked back over to his desk. When it was obvious that no amount of glaring would sway the doctor's decision, he laid back on the bed to sulk.

Dr Beckett spent the evening updating files on his computer and was in the middle of his second game of spider solitaire when a sound brought his attention back to his pouting patient. "Major Sheppard?"

The major had long ago rolled his back to the doctor in protest at having to stay the night. Carson came up unnoticed, placing a hand on his upper arm. Heat radiated off the major's body. The sound that had caught the doctor's attention was a gurgle in his exhale.

"Okay, son, now we've something to keep an eye on," he spoke quietly to himself more than Major Sheppard. He pulled out the monitoring equipment and had it ready before nudging the major. "Major, wake up now."

John looked over his shoulder at the doctor. It was very cold in here for some reason. He focused in on Carson but he seemed to be talking through a tunnel. "Cold," he grit through clattering teeth.

"Aye, lad," Carson soberly agreed, attaching the equipment to his patient.

Watching the readings on the monitor, he frowned further, paging the nurse. It was Mindy, the same one the major had been sweet on after his encounter with the Wraith bug.

"We need to get him on oxygen via cannula and under a cooling blanket," Carson instructed her. She nodded and went to gather the supplies while Carson paged Dr Weir.

**A A A A A A**

"So why is it effecting Major Sheppard so severely and not the others with the rash?" Dr Weir asked after the briefing on the major's condition.

Carson looked up from the monitor displaying Major sheppard's vitals. "Not sure. People react different ways to various toxins. I am bringing everyone in for a recheck in the morning though."

Elizabeth held her concern just below the sruface but Dr Beckett could still see it. "I'll let you know of any changes," he reassured her quietly.

With a tight smile, she nodded her thanks and left.

Carson struggled most of the night to keep the major's temperature down. He would wake shivering, fighting to get the cooling blanket off.

He finally grabbed a nap in the bed nearest the major in case he was needed in the night. Carson was jolted awake by a crash of equipment. All remaining sleep was thrown off when he saw Major Sheppard making an extremely slow escape, walking but leaning heavily on the wall.

"Oiy, just where do ya think yer goin'?" he asked, grabbing John's upper arm to stop him.

John just looked at him with glassy eyes, not really seeing. Blood dripped from his hand where the intravenous line had ripped out. Carson swore pressing his thumb against the wound. "Come on, major, back to bed."

John shook his head, eyes closing in a long slow blink. "I have to pee," came the weak protest.

Carson grabbed an oversized Band-Aid from the nearby shelves and stuck it on the rip then helped Major Sheppard to the facilities.

The nurse on duty was cleaning up the supplies the major had dumped, when Carson was leading him back.

Dr Beckett noticed a fine sheen of sweat on Major Sheppard's forehead as he was laying back in the bed.

Eyes closed, John whispered, "Hot."

"Aye. I think yer fever's breaking," Beckett said reattaching the monitors. With one hand burned and the other ripped open, he had to put the IV into the forearm, not as comfortable a place.

Rodney strode into the room, coming up to watch over Carson's shoulder. "Jail break?"

Carson smiled, "Something like that." He finished with the major then turned to Rodney. "Ready for yer recheck?"

"Just thought I would get it over with before I get to work," he answered not quite taking his eyes off the major. "How's he doing?"

The doctor glanced over his shoulder then met Rodney's eyes. "It's been a rough night but I think he'll be fine." He walked over to the next bed, patting it. "Let's have a look at ye."

Rodney hesitated a second too long for his concern to go unnoticed.

Carson reassured him quietly, "He'll be fine, Rodney."

McKay turned away, flashing a fake smile at the doctor.

**A A A A A A**

Voices were echoing in his ears. His head hurt, his body felt wrung out. Voices...

"Yer good to go, Rodney...eep applying the…ntment to the rash for ten days..." Carson's voice faded in and out of his hearing.

John peeled his eyes open to see Carson and Rodney just across the way. McKay was closest, nodding to something Carson was saying.

A tickle began to grow in his throat. Sheppard looked longingly at a glass of water set near his bed but couldn't bring his uncoordinated body under enough control to actually reach for it. The tickle escalated to a full blown cough bringing the other two men to his side.

Rodney was there first, scooping up the water glass to help John drink. Carson busied himself getting the major's temperature with the ear thermometer. At the telltale beep, he read, "100.1. Much better."

Rodney let John back down on the pillow, worry etched deep in his face. He looked to Carson.

Carson smiled and reassured Rodney again, "He's fine."

Rodney nodded uncertainly, watching his friend.

"It's just the fever, Rodney. Makin him weak. He'll be out of here tomorrow if not tonight." Carson shooed Rodney off to work.

When he came back the major was looking around the room. Catching site of the doctor, he rasped, "What the hell happened? Last I remember you confined me for the night."

"Aye, that was yesterday. Yer fever spiked overnight but it's comin down now. I spect I can release you tonight or tomorrow." Carson fiddled with a few knobs and switches on the bedside equipment then, with a quick smile went back to his desk.

"Oh my god," Major Sheppard grouched. "I had a good weekend planned, too."

**A A A A A A**

"The point is, Dr Weir, that we are in another galaxy, dealing with strange wildlife and foreign diseases and bacteria. We need to instruct the teams in the use of the standard issue sanitizer and that any symptoms, regardless of how small, need to be brought to my attention. We were lucky this time." Carson stood before Elizabeth, eyebrows high.

"I agree. Your recommendation is noted. Thank you, Carson." She stood to meet his gaze. "How is he?"

"Fine. His lungs are clear, the rash is nearly gone. I sent him to his quarters until tomorrow. The way he's feelin, I don't think he'll argue."

"Good job, Doctor," she smiled. patted his arm then both turned to go their own ways.

* * *

All done. 


End file.
